New Star Trek TV series to launch in Jan. 2017 on CBS All Access streaming service

It's the news that fans have been waiting to hear for a long time, sort of. Star Trek is coming back as a full live-action TV series via CBS. However, while the first episode will premiere in the US on the CBS broadcast network, all the other episodes will be shown exclusively on the CBS All Access streaming service, which currently costs $5.99 a month.

Yes, that means you will have to pay to watch the new series on your smartphone, tablet or smart TV, instead of watching it for free on the CBS network. CBS says:

"This new series will premiere to the national CBS audience, then boldly go where no first-run Star Trek series has gone before – directly to its millions of fans through CBS All Access," said Marc DeBevoise, Executive Vice President/General Manager – CBS Digital Media. "We've experienced terrific growth for CBS All Access, expanding the service across affiliates and devices in a very short time. We now have an incredible opportunity to accelerate this growth with the iconic Star Trek, and its devoted and passionate fan base, as our first original series."

Details about the new series are scarce at the moment, with CBS saying only that it "will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations." Alex Kurtzman will be the executive producer for the new Star Trek TV series. He co-wrote the Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness feature films that were directed by J.J. Abrams. All of the five older Star Trek TV series are already available to watch on CBS All Access.

What do you think of the new Star Trek TV series as a streaming exclusive on CBS All Access? Let us know in the comments!